This invention relates to apparatus for collecting tolls and more particularly to moving automated toll collector apparatus which keeps traffic flowing through toll stations.
Tolls are collected from vehicles using many highways and bridges. The tolls are generally being used to pay for construction and/or maintenance of the highways and bridges upon which they are collected, and there is often a long term repayment schedule. Tolls are also used to raise revenues for other government purposes, and also in some instances to discourage vehicle traffic into congested areas. Therefore, it is unlikely that tolls and the attendant necessity of collecting them will be eliminated in the foreseeable future.
Tolls are presently collected at toll stations established at selected intervals along a highway or at approaches to bridges. The toll stations are generally comprised of a plurality of toll booths and automated toll collector machines located at fixed positions adjacent traffic lanes for passing vehicles. The toll booths are staffed by personnel who collect tolls from vehicles, and particularly those vehicles which do not have correct change, the vehicles stopping at the toll booths to make the transaction. Other traffic lanes are serviced by the automated toll collectors which receive correct change from vehicles, the vehicles stopping at the basket or hopper of the automated toll collector, depositing the toll and then departing the toll station. In some instances, an automated arm is employed to block the departure of the vehicle until the automated toll collector indicates receipt of the toll. In other instances, a red/green light signal is employed to indicate that the toll is received, and an audible signal is produced if the vehicle departs without paying the toll. Each toll station may incorporate a mixture of manned booths and automated toll collectors and typically a total of six to eight booths and automated toll collectors may be provided for three lanes of traffic.
Present toll stations are frequently inadequate to handle the volume of traffic which occurs during peak driving periods, such as during rush hours for workers traveling to and from jobs or during holiday and vacation times. Traffic backs up at toll stations, sometimes for miles during peak driving periods, simply because toll stations cannot keep up with the flow of traffic. This is a considerable inconvenience for motorists and is expensive in terms of lost man-hours that could be used productively or for leisure time. The traffic jams also waste energy, since vehicle engines are running without any useful result. Additionally, traffic jams create pollution and expose workers at toll stations and occupants of vehicles in traffic jams at toll stations to high levels of pollution. Therefore, there is a great need to expedite the collection of tolls at toll stations and to thereby avoid traffic backups.